1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a counting device of the kind used for instance in taking forest inventories, where the counter is stepped forwards each time a count button or key is pressed. A forest inventory may comprise counting the number of trees present, the number of seed trees present, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such counting devices are also used in diverse manufacturing industries for counting products or other objects, in addition to their use in the forest industry. One example of the many different areas of use of such devices is the counting of migratory birds.
These known counting devices are mechanical and require a counter mechanism for each object whose numbers are to be counted and recorded. Since the counting device is mechanical, the cost of the counter mechanism is relatively high. Furthermore, mechanical counting devices are heavy and clumsy to carry. It is often necessary to count the numbers of various different objects, such as when making inventories in forests and wooded areas. This means that several counting devices must be carried when making such diverse inventories.
The present invention solves the problems associated with known counting devices.
The present invention thus relates to a hand-carried counting device in which a counter is stepped forwards through one increment in response to the depression of a count key or button. The counter is electronic and includes at least three different count keys for counting the respective numbers of three different objects. Depressing a key causes an electric signal to be sent to a register in a microprocessor or the like that is included in the counting device. The register corresponds with the key that has been depressed. The counting device includes a function key which when pressed once or a repeated number of times causes the microprocessor to perform at least the function of displaying on a counter display certain current, i.e. prevailing, count values relating to the different registers.